This instruction applies to : / Reference :
NOMS Agency staff (Headquarters)
Prisons / AI 04/2010
PSI 05/2010
Issue Date / Effective Date
Implementation Date / Expiry Date
20/01/10 / 20/01/2010 / 31/12/2011
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Management Board
For action by / Regional Custodial Managers, Governing Governors, Directors of Offender Management, Directors and Controllers of Contracted Prisons, Heads of Prison Service Colleges and Senior Managers in charge of Headquarters buildings
For information / All Prison Staff
Contact / Chris Sharp, Security Group. 0207 217 2759
Associated documents / None
Replaces the following documents which are hereby cancelled :- PSI 03/2007
Audit/monitoring :
Self audit
Page 1
Hoisting flags on Prison Service and NOMS buildings
Purpose
1.This PSI sets out the days that the Union flag must be hoisted in all Prison Service establishments and NOMS headquarters buildings where a flagstaff is provided. (It is permissible for the Union Flag to remain flown at all times) Where only one flagstaff is provided, only the Union Flag may be flown.
Output
2.The Union Flag is correctly flown on NOMS buildings in line with Government policy.
3.This instruction does not apply to Probation Service premises.
Mandatory action
4.In England and Wales, the Union Flag must be hoisted on the following days from 0800 hours until at least sunset. If it is impractical to lower the flag at sunset due to staffing constraints, it may remain flown until the following day.
20 January / Birthday of The Countess of Wessex6 February / Her Majesty's Accession
19 February / Birthday of The Duke of York
1 March / St David’s Day (in Wales only, see note 1)
8 March / Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March)
10 March / Birthday of The Earl of Wessex
21 April / Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen
23 April / St George’s Day (in England only, see note 1)
9 May / Europe Day (see note 4)
2 June / Coronation Day
10 June / Birthday of The Duke of Edinburgh
12 June / Official Celebration of Her Majesty’s Birthday
17 July / Birthday of The Duchess of Cornwall
15 August / Birthday of The Princess Royal
14 November / Remembrance Day (second Sunday, see note 2 )
14 November / Birthday of The Prince of Wales
20 November / Anniversary of Her Majesty’s Wedding Day
Also / The day of the opening of a Session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty (see note 3 )
The day of the prorogation of a Session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty (see note 3)
Notes
- Where a building has two or more flag poles, the appropriate national flag may be flown in addition to the Union Flag but not in a superior position. UK Government buildings within the wider Whitehall area may fly the national flags alongside the Union Flag on their appropriate saint’s days. Flags should be flown at full mast all day.
2.The Union Flag should fly alongside the European Flag. On UK Government buildings that only have one flagpole, the Union Flag should take precedence. The Union Flag only should be flown.
3.Flags should be flown on this day even if Her Majesty does not perform the ceremony in person. Flags should only be flown in the Greater London area.
4.In the Greater London area, flags must be flown on the day of the opening of a Session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty and the day of the prorogation of a session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty. Flags must be flown on this day even if Her Majesty does not perform the ceremony in person.
5.The hoisting of the Union Flag on Government buildings is authorised by regulations issued under Her Majesty’s Command. It must be flown with the broad diagonal stripe at the top left hand side of the flag nearest the flagstaff.
6.The Union flag must be flown at the top of the flagstaff throughout the day till at least sunset.
7.The Union Flag may be flown at all times but must be flown on the dates or under the circumstances given in paragraphs 4 & 9 and on other occasions where Her Majesty has given a special command; this will be relayed to establishments and HQ buildings by the Corporate Security Department.
Occasions on which flags must be flown at half-mast (see also paragraph 13)
8.The Union Flag must be flown at half-mast on the following occasions:
(i)From the announcement of the death of The Sovereign, except on Proclamation Day, when they are flown at full mast from 8am to sunset;
(ii)The funerals of members of the Royal Family, subject to special commands from Her Majesty in each case;
(iii)The funerals of foreign Rulers, subject to special commands from Her Majesty in each case;
(iv)The funerals of Prime Ministers and Ex-Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom subject to special commands from Her Majesty in each case.
9.Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds up between the top and bottom of the flagstaff.
Flying of national, European, Prison Service and company flags
10.Where an establishment has more than one flagstaff, the following flags may also be flown at the same time as the Union flag, but must not be in a superior position to it.
- The Prison Service flag (except as detailed below)
- For contracted out prisons, the relevant company’s flag (except as detailed below)
- On St George’s Day, the national flag must be flown in preference to the Prison Service or company flag at establishments in England
- On St David’s Day, the national flag must be flown in preference to the Prison Service or company flag at establishments in Wales
- On Europe Day, the European flag must be flown in preference to the Prison Service or company flag
11.The Union Flag must fly alongside the appropriate other flags as described above. Establishments and buildings with only one flagstaff must fly the Union Flag.
Audit and monitoring
12.This Prison Service Instruction is not subject to any formal monitoring. However, given the high public profile of many of the Service’s Flagstaff, public attention may well be drawn to non-appearance or incorrect appearance of the Union Flag at the times specified in this instruction.
The Prison Service Flag
13.The Prison Service Flag may be flown at the discretion of the Governor or Director of the establishment. It may be flown at half-mast to mark the death of a member of staff. The Union Flag must never be used for this purpose.
Company Flags
14Directors of contracted out establishments may fly their company flag in place of the Prison Service Flag should they wish. Company flags are subject to the same arrangements as the Prison Service Flag.
15.For further information contact:
Chris Sharp
NOMS Corporate Security
0207 217 2759
(signed)
Danny McAllister
Director of High Security.
PSI 05/2010 – AI 04/2010Issue date 20/01/10